Le Sex Shoppe Owner Placed on Probation

The owner of an adult bookstore in North Hollywood has been placed on two years’ probation after pleading no contest last week to a misdemeanor charge of maintaining a public nuisance, authorities said.

Los Angeles Municipal Judge Martin Suits also ordered John R. DeMott, owner of Le Sex Shoppe at 11310 Vanowen St., to stop nude-dancing shows at the store to comply with a city ordinance that prohibits more than one adult business from operating under the same roof.

Le Sex Shoppe violated the ordinance by operating a bookstore, live entertainment and peep shows, Deputy City Atty. Kenneth F. Carrasco said Wednesday. The shop also had electrical or structural deficiencies, and DeMott, 37, was ordered to repair the problems by Dec. 2, Carrasco said.

Suits ordered DeMott to remove the doors from six viewing booths, pay $405 to compensate the city’s Department of Building and Safety for inspection costs and donate $150 to Children of the Night, a Hollywood-based social-service organization working with prostitutes and runaway children. Carrasco said DeMott had already paid both agencies.

In a statement, City Atty. James K. Hahn said female Le Sex Shoppe dancers committed lewd acts while dancing at the store.

Employees at other Le Sex Shoppe stores said the Vanowen Street shop was closed recently. The criminal complaint against the Vanowen store was filed in May, 1985, but DeMott’s attorneys delayed the trial for two years with several pretrial motions, Carrasco said.